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South Africa Eben Etzebeth

Eben Etzebeth

Eben Etzebeth
South Africa
South Africa
Eben Etzebeth

Eben Etzebeth is a world-class lock who has won back-to-back Rugby World Cups with the Springboks. He plays domestically for the Sharks.

Nationality

South Africa

Age

35

Position

Lock

Height

203cm

Weight

122kg

Eben Etzebeth News

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Eben Etzebeth Stats

Stats compared to other Locks

Eben Etzebeth Stats

Stats compared to other Locks
Eben Etzebeth
Eben Etzebeth

Key Stats

Season Performance

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Season Performance

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Eben Etzebeth

Match Stats

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Eben Etzebeth Performance Analysis

Internationals 2026

Eben Etzebeth featured in 6 matches during the 2026 Internationals, representing South Africa. Results included 4 wins and 2 losses.

South Africa finished 0th in the 2026 Internationals, having won 0 and lost 0 of their 0 matches.

Eben Etzebeth played 444 minutes across the Internationals 2026. In attack he made 67m with ball in hand, beating 2 defenders and scoring 0 tries. Defensively he completed 68 tackles at a rate of 11.33 per game.

In the Internationals 2026, Eben Etzebeth completed 23 passes at an accuracy of 88%, contributing 0 try assists and making 43 touches.

Rugby Championship 2025

Eben Etzebeth featured in 5 matches during the 2025 Rugby Championship, representing South Africa on their way to being crowned champions. Results included 3 wins and 2 losses.

South Africa won the 2025 Rugby Championship, finishing with 4 wins from 6 matches.

Eben Etzebeth played 291 minutes across the Rugby Championship 2025, carrying the ball further than any other Lock in the process with 78m. He beat 2 defenders and scored 1 try, completing 48 tackles at a rate of 9.6 per game.

In the Rugby Championship 2025, Eben Etzebeth completed 32 passes at an accuracy of 82%, contributing 0 try assists and making 42 touches.

He carried the ball further than any other Lock's in the Rugby Championship.

Rugby World Cup 2023

Eben Etzebeth featured in 6 matches during the 2023 Rugby World Cup, representing South Africa on their way to being crowned champions. Results included 5 wins and 1 loss.

Eben Etzebeth represented South Africa at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, where South Africa were crowned world champions.

Eben Etzebeth played 327 minutes across the Rugby World Cup 2023. In attack he made 39m with ball in hand, beating 2 defenders and scoring 1 try. Defensively he completed 51 tackles at a rate of 8.5 per game.

In the Rugby World Cup 2023, Eben Etzebeth completed 11 passes at an accuracy of 85%, contributing 0 try assists and making 33 touches.

United Rugby Championship 2026/2027

Eben Etzebeth has featured in 2 matches during the 2026/2027 United Rugby Championship to date, representing Sharks, with 1 win and 1 loss.

Eben Etzebeth is representing Sharks in the 2026/2027 United Rugby Championship, who currently sit 4th in the table with 5 matches played.

Eben Etzebeth has played 63 minutes across the 2026/2027 United Rugby Championship so far. In attack he has made 41m with ball in hand, beating 1 defenders and scoring 0 tries. Defensively he has completed 1 tackles at a rate of 0.5 per game.

In the United Rugby Championship 2026/2027, Eben Etzebeth has completed 5 passes at an accuracy of 100%, contributing 1 try assist and making 6 touches.

His tackle completion rate of 100% was among the highest of any Lock's in the United Rugby Championship.

  • He ranked in the top 5% of Lock's for try assists in the United Rugby Championship.
  • Eben Etzebeth Bio

    Eben Etzebeth is widely regarded as one of the best locks in the history of the game. During his illustrious career, he’s spent significant time with the Stormers, Toulon and the Sharks. He has also represented South Africa more than 130 times and was a pivotal part of the squad that won back-to-back Rugby World Cups. 

    Eben Etzebeth was born in Cape Town, South Africa on 29 October 1991. From an early age he excelled in the sport and was earmarked as a hot prospect.

    He entered the Western Province youth setup in 2009 and also played with amateur side UCT Ikey Tigers in 2011. He then went on to play at a senior level with Western Province and the Stormers. In 2015, he also enjoyed a season in the Japanese Top League with NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes. Today he represents the Sharks in his native South Africa after also enjoying a stint in France with Toulon. 

    Across his club career, Eben Etzebeth has earned a fierce reputation as a hard-hitting enforcer - something that has translated onto the international stage. 

    Etzebeth played in the 2015 Rugby World Cup with the Springboks, eventually finishing in third place. Less than a year later at the 2016 Rugby Championship, he earned his 50th cap for South Africa. Aged just 24, he became the youngest ever player to achieve this milestone.

    In the 2017 edition of The Rugby Championship, Etzebeth was named as the captain of the Springboks. Although he missed a large portion of the 2018 international season due to injury, he still made the squad for the 2019 World Cup. He played a number of games in this tournament and started in the final, helping South Africa to a famous win over England. He then helped the Springboks claim back-to-back Rugby World Cups in 2023, before claiming The Rugby Championship again in 2024. 

    Etzebeth has enjoyed an impressive career so far and he still has plenty more to offer on the international stage. We can’t wait to see more from him in the coming years.

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